


A Study In Art And Romance

by grapefruitghostie



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Artists, Alternate Universe - Flower Shop, Background Gabriel/Sam Winchester - Freeform, Bakery and Coffee Shop, Castiel is a florist, Dean Winchester Has Pet Snakes, Dean is a ballet dancer, Domesticity, Established Gabriel/Sam Winchester, Gabe is a baker, HUGE AU, M/M, Meet-Cute, Minor Original Character(s), Pastelcore, Sam is a famous author, Soft Boys, This Is STUPID
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-06
Updated: 2020-06-02
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:46:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,280
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23939353
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grapefruitghostie/pseuds/grapefruitghostie
Summary: When the rain began, Dean ducked into the first place he saw - Castiel’s Carnations. It all went downhill from there.
Relationships: Castiel & Dean Winchester, Gabriel/Sam Winchester
Comments: 6
Kudos: 12





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi this first chapter deals with the loss of a sick pet/euthanasia so if you’re sensitive to that subject please tread lightly - it comes at the very end of the chapter! Author know’s this is a really tough subject and is kind of projecting.

It wasn’t like Dean had already been having the best of weeks when the rain started. No, that would have been too easy. He’d had to drop his car off at the shop earlier on Tuesday, meaning he had to walk to rehearsal on today (Friday). Except he slept through his alarm and was already running later that he needed to be right now. And when the sky opened up and dumped on him, he thought _three strikes you’re out,_ so he ducked into the first shop that was open - Castiel’s Carnations. 

The bone chill of walking into an air conditioned building with drenched clothes should have been expected with the week he’d been having. The clerk at the desk smiled and greeted Dean, who begrudgingly smiled back at him. He made a beeline for the garden tools section, praying to everyone that this place sold umbrellas.

Thankfully, someone was listening. 

Dean grabbed an army green umbrella - his favorite color - and headed for the register. He stopped short though, admiring the professionally arranged flowers in the case. He thought that he probably should pick up a bouquet for his friend, Kaci’s, performance tomorrow, and grabbed an elegant bouquet of pink lilies and baby’s breath. 

When he got to the register, the same blue eyed man smiled that warm, friendly smile he’d offered earlier. He noticed the name tag, _Cas_ , and assumed he must be the owner. 

“Is there anything else I can help you find today?” Cas asked, surprising Dean with his lullaby-soft voice. 

”Uh, no, thank you. These flowers are gorgeous,” Dean offered, trying to make conversation, “do you do the arrangements?”

Castiel beamed, “Thank you! I do all the arrangements in the store.”

”Wow, you really have a talent for it.” 

Dean looked around at the small items around the counter: seed packets, packs of gum, garden gloves, phone chargers and a small rack of quick reads. He smiled and picked up his brother’s newest release from the rack while Cas rang up his items.

”Alrighty, that’s gonna be $14.53.”

Dean set the book down and dug his wallet from his gym bag, handing the florist his card. Cas handed him the receipt and a pen as it came out and Dean signed _D. Winchester._

”D. Winchester, any relation to the author?” Cas joked, nodding at the rack of books and Dean only chuckled.

“Yeah, actually, he’s my brother.” 

Cas’s face dropped and he laughed awkwardly, “Oh, wow, I was joking but that's really cool! I’m a huge fan of his stories.” 

“I’ll pass on the message,” Dean replied with a smile, “Have a nice day.”

”Thanks, you too!” Cas called as Dean was stepping out the door and into the rain - this time covered by the umbrella.   
Dean decided not to bother going to rehearsal today, he was already an hour late and he figured he may as well put the flowers in a vase so that they’d last until tomorrow night. 

Unlocking his rickety apartment door, Dean kicked his way inside and stuffed his new umbrella in the rack. His “I forgot an umbrella so I had to buy a new one. Oh look, more fucking umbrellas!” collection seemed to be growing rapidly during this particularly rainy season in New York. He set the bouquet on the table and began his hunt for a vase. 

From a glass terrarium, the baby hognose stared at him. 

“Why do you always look like your judging me?” He asked, walking to the container and taking the small snake in his hand, “You do, you always look like you’re judging me. Is there something on my face?” 

His snakes made him feel less alone in the humongous (600 square feet) apartment (box that he had to pay for). He let Jasper curl up on his wrist as he continued the search.

Finally, Dean came up with a clear glass vase. He filled it with water and set the flowers inside, setting jasper on the table gently so that he could use both hands. The hognose got distracted quickly, slithering down to the floor and looking for something to get into. Dean walked back to the terrariums and reached into the occupied one, taking out the sleek black python that was nosing around her glass house.

“I met a boy today, Bella,” he sighed dreamily and flopped onto the couch. The python curled up on his belly and rested her chin on the warm skin of his neck in response. 

“He made those flowers,” Dean continued as if he’d gotten an actual response, “I mean, he didn’t _make_ \- you know what I mean.”

Bella was almost seventeen by now, and was so heavy resting on his stomach. But how could he say no to that face, she’d been his best friend since he was ten years old. He pretended that she wasn’t as sick as the vet said she was, kept telling himself that he wasn’t close to losing his favorite girl to some stupid python sickness.

He’d spent years making sure she was the happiest and healthiest snake in town, but the vet told him that sometimes IBD just happened in constrictors. Dean knew rationally that he needed to put her down, but he still battled himself with just the thought. What if it was too soon? What if she had longer? And, on the other hand, what if he was just waiting because he was selfish and she was really miserable?

Bella just slithered up onto his head and he chuckled, crying into her huge body.

“Yeah, I love you too.” He mumbled and then shut his eyes. It all made his head hurt, maybe a nap would make him feel better.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author has no idea why they made opening night on a Saturday but ya know what it’s there so they’re just gonna leave it.

“You were amazing, Hypolita, if I might say!” Dean beamed, handing his friend the bouquet of lilies from Cas’s. 

“Thank you, Dean, these are beautiful. I’m so glad you could make it!” Kaci smiled brightly and hugged him, her short blonde hair just barely reaching his shoulder.

“Are you kidding me, girl? It’s opening night, I wouldn’t miss it for the world. Besides, Sam, Gabe and I are taking you out for drinks. They went to get the car so you can’t say no.”

Kaci laughed but nodded, “I’ll be out in twenty.”

Dean agreed, knowing it would be more like thirty minutes because _opening night._ It took him nearly ten minutes to weave through the crowd of people and find the car where his brother and almost-brother-in-law were waiting for him.

“Jesus, I couldn’t wait to get out of those points,” Kaci grumbled upon getting into Sam’s black Altima.

“You love them,” Sam teased turning to give her a half hug over the seats, “you killed it tonight.”

“Thank you,” she grinned and reached around to hug Gabe in the passengers seat, “I feel like I haven’t seen you guys in ages.”

“Yeah, this is a well deserved hangout for all of us.” The caramel haired man agreed just as Sam found his way out of the parking garage and onto the street. 

Living in New York meant that it took about five minutes to get from any Point A to any Point B as long as traffic wasn’t too bad. Luckily, it wasn’t the worst Saturday night he’d driven through.

When they made it to their favorite stupid dive bar, Kaci bounced out of the car as if she hadn’t just danced in point shoes for the past our and a half. She’d changed into a baby blue dress and some comfy-yet-classy sandals and she radiated pure, abundant energy.

The four went up to the bar and sat down at a table close enough that they wouldn’t have to travel far.

Dean was in the middle of ordering his fourth beer when his eyes wandered around the room and landed on a familiar face. Oh, shit, Castiel was across the bar and, fuck, they locked eyes and, dammit, here he comes now.

“Hey! Castiel, right? Small world,” Dean chirped as if he wasn’t completely shitting his pants.

“Yeah, it’s wild,” Castiel agreed, “are you celebrating?”

Dean nodded towards the table, “yeah it’s opening night for my friend, the blonde one, the really drunk, blonde, short one. Are you?”

“Oh yeah, nothing that wild though,” Castiel joked, “its my sister’s birthday. Its a weird tradition that on someone birthday we all go somewhere we’ve never been.”

He pointed over his shoulder to two girls and a guy sitting in a booth.

“I think I can guess who’s birthday it is,” Dean chuckled at the sight.

“Oh, yeah, the curly haired one. The one in the party hat drinking the neon fucking margarita with a bendy straw.” 

“Hey, Dean. Is this guy weirding you out, man?” Kaci asked nosily, popping her head over Dean’s shoulder and eyeing Cas.

Dean jumped at her sudden appearance and he shooed her away lovingly, “Jesus, _no_ , this is Castiel. I know him. But I appreciate you looking out for me.”

Kaci’s eyes narrowed, “you’d better call him tomorrow. I can kick your ass.”

Castiel laughed and Dean whipped around, “I wasn’t trying to pick him up, K, oh my God! I know him from the flower shop! He made the bouquet?”

Kaci’s expression changed into wonder, and she grabbed Castiel’s hands in her own. “Oh, _you_ did that with the lilies?! And the baby’s breath? That’s my favorite flower! They we’re so beautiful, thank you!”

“I’m so glad you like them, that means a lot to me,” Castiel said genuinely.

Kaci smiled at him for a moment before going back to sit at the table and talking animatedly to Sam and Gabe.

“I’m sorry about,” Dean paused for a minute to think of an adequate phrasing, “ _that._ She’s kind of a wreck, but we love her.”

Castiel chuckled, “it’s endearing. Well, hey, they’re probably wondering where I’m at. But it was really nice to see you. _Dean_ .”

And Dean’s heart may or may not have completely skipped a beat hearing his name roll off Castiel’s tongue so deliberately. He tried to muster a smile that said “good seeing you too, man,” but instead his smile said (verbatim) “death is upon us, Lord, make it a swift and painless one.”

“Yeah, you too, Cas. I’ll see you around,” he promised.

“Spill!” Gabe said as soon as Dean sat back town at the table.

Dean rolled his eyes but he couldn’t stop the smile from gracing his lips. He wished he could say _oh, thats my boyfriend_ , but it truth, he’d probably rarely see Cas again.

“There’s nothing to spill, man,” he shrugged, “Cas works at the flower shop where I got Kaci’s flowers for the show.”

Sam’s eyes narrowed, “Okay, but _he_ came up to _you_.”

“And?”

“Dude he’s crushing on you so hard!”

Dean rolled his eyes at his brother’s accusations. A little fire may have sparked in his chest at the idea, but no one else had to know that.

“Did you get his number?!” Kaci nosed excitedly just as Dean was taking a drink. It caught him off guard and he nearly choked.

“No, I’ve only met him twice!” He defended, “he’d probably think I’m a creep.”

“Dude, no he wouldn’t. He’s cute, but you’re cute; its a match made in heaven.” Gabe insisted and Dean just laughed. He wished it could be that easy, he wished he’d gotten Cas’s number.

The four of them slowly began talking about other things as the night pressed on. He saw Cas leave with his siblings about an hour later. He smiled at Dean whose heart promptly melted on the spot. He waved at Castiel as he left the bar with his siblings and _everyone_ at his table caught it.

“Listen,” Kaci slurred, “all m’sayin’ is, you gotta go back into that flower shop. Make up an excuse. Oh! I know! Take me in tomorrow! We’ll go ‘fore you have to be at the studio for practice.”

“K, I have practice at noon and I’m pretty sure you’ll still be sleeping tonight off at noon.” Dean argued.

“Nonsense! I’ll stay at your place tonight and then we can go together!”

“Oh, okay, great plan,” he said sarcastically but Kaci didn’t seem to pick up on that.

“Right?!”

Sam laughed at the exchange but then checked the time on his phone, “hey if you’re planning on getting up at noon we should leave. It’s one o’clock.”

“Jesus!” Gabe remarked, “we haven’t been here for three hours.”

“Yeah, we have,” he said mock-defensively and showed Gabriel his phone clock.

Gabriel just yawned and nodded, “Yeah, we should get.”

Dean nodded in agreement and finished the last of his beer quickly before standing. They walked out of the bar single file as to avoid bumping into too many people, Sam in the lead holding Gabe’s hand, Kaci was third and Dean rounded up the end.

When Sam dropped them off at Dean’s place Kaci hopped out of the car and followed Dean. Okay, so she wasn’t joking about crashing there. It wasn’t the first time and it certainly wouldn’t be the last.

Dean took a quick shower as soon as he got into the apartment, knowing that Kaci would likely take one in the morning. When he got out, there was a softly-snoring lump in his bed and, although he expected it, he sighed. 

_Its a good thing she’s my best friend_ , he grumbled to himself as if he would have the heart to kick _anybody_ out of his bed if they were sleeping as hard as she was. He tossed on some pajama pants and a baggy shirt and got under the covers.


End file.
